按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
All the same； old chap； you don't smell nice！〃
Gangrene； in fact； was spreading more and more。 Bovary himself
turned sick at it。 He came every hour； every moment。 Hippolyte
looked at him with eyes full of terror； sobbing
〃When shall I get well？ Oh； save me！ How unfortunate I am！ How
unfortunate I am！〃
And the doctor left； always recommending him to diet himself。
〃Don't listen to him； my lad；〃 said Mere Lefrancois； 〃Haven't
they tortured you enough already？ You'll grow still weaker。 Here！
swallow this。〃
And she gave him some good beef…tea； a slice of mutton； a piece
of bacon； and sometimes small glasses of brandy； that he had not
the strength to put to his lips。
Abbe Bournisien； hearing that he was growing worse； asked to see
him。 He began by pitying his sufferings； declaring at the same
time that he ought to rejoice at them since it was the will of
the Lord； and take advantage of the occasion to reconcile himself
to Heaven。
〃For；〃 said the ecclesiastic in a paternal tone； 〃you rather
neglected your duties； you were rarely seen at divine worship。
How many years is it since you approached the holy table？ I
understand that your work； that the whirl of the world may have
kept you from care for your salvation。 But now is the time to
reflect。 Yet don't despair。 I have known great sinners； who；
about to appear before God （you are not yet at this point I
know）； had implored His mercy； and who certainly died in the best
frame of mind。 Let us hope that； like them； you will set us a
good example。 Thus； as a precaution； what is to prevent you from
saying morning and evening a 'Hail Mary； full of grace；' and 'Our
Father which art in heaven'？ Yes； do that； for my sake； to oblige
me。 That won't cost you anything。 Will you promise me？〃
The poor devil promised。 The cure came back day after day。 He
chatted with the landlady； and even told anecdotes interspersed
with jokes and puns that Hippolyte did not understand。 Then； as
soon as he could； he fell back upon matters of religion； putting
on an appropriate expression of face。
His zeal seemed successful； for the club…foot soon manifested a
desire to go on a pilgrimage to Bon…Secours if he were cured； to
which Monsieur Bournisien replied that he saw no objection； two
precautions were better than one； it was no risk anyhow。
The druggist was indignant at what he called the manoeuvres of
the priest； they were prejudicial； he said； to Hippolyte's
convalescence； and he kept repeating to Madame Lefrancois； 〃Leave
him alone！ leave him alone！ You perturb his morals with your
mysticism。〃 But the good woman would no longer listen to him； he
was the cause of it all。 From a spirit of contradiction she hung
up near the bedside of the patient a basin filled with holy…water
and a branch of box。
Religion； however； seemed no more able to succour him than
surgery； and the invincible gangrene still spread from the
extremities towards the stomach。 It was all very well to vary the
potions and change the poultices； the muscles each day rotted
more and more； and at last Charles replied by an affirmative nod
of the head when Mere Lefrancois； asked him if she could not； as
a forlorn hope； send for Monsieur Canivet of Neufchatel； who was
a celebrity。
A doctor of medicine； fifty years of age； enjoying a good
position and self…possessed； Charles's colleague did not refrain
from laughing disdainfully when he had uncovered the leg；
mortified to the knee。 Then having flatly declared that it must
be amputated； he went off to the chemist's to rail at the asses
who could have reduced a poor man to such a state。 Shaking
Monsieur Homais by the button of his coat； he shouted out in the
shop
〃These are the inventions of Paris！ These are the ideas of those
gentry of the capital！ It is like strabismus； chloroform；
lithotrity； a heap of monstrosities that the Government ought to
prohibit。 But they want to do the clever； and they cram you with
remedies without； troubling about the consequences。 We are not so
clever； not we！ We are not savants； coxcombs； fops！ We are
practitioners； we cure people； and we should not dream of
operating on anyone who is in perfect health。 Straighten club…
feet！ As if one could straighten club…feet！ It is as if one
wished； for example； to make a hunchback straight！〃
Homais suffered as he listened to this discourse； and he
concealed his discomfort beneath a courtier's smile； for he
needed to humour Monsier Canivet； whose prescriptions sometimes
came as far as Yonville。 So he did not take up the defence of
Bovary； he did not even make a single remark； and； renouncing his
principles； he sacrificed his dignity to the more serious
interests of his business。
This amputation of the thigh by Doctor Canivet was a great event
in the village。 On that day all the inhabitants got up earlier；
and the Grande Rue； although full of people； had something
lugubrious about it； as if an execution had been expected。 At the
grocer's they discussed Hippolyte's illness； the shops did no
business； and Madame Tuvache； the mayor's wife； did not stir from
her window； such was her impatience to see the operator arrive。
He came in his gig； which he drove himself。 But the springs of
the right side having at length given way beneath the weight of
his corpulence； it happened that the carriage as it rolled along
leaned over a little； and on the other cushion near him could be
seen a large box covered in red sheep…leather； whose three brass
clasps shone grandly。
After he had entered like a whirlwind the porch of the 〃Lion
d'Or；〃 the doctor； shouting very loud； ordered them to unharness
his horse。 Then he went into the stable to see that he was eating
his oats all right； for on arriving at a patient's he first of
all looked after his mare and his gig。 People even said about
this
〃Ah！ Monsieur Canivet's a character！〃
And he was the more esteemed for this imperturbable coolness。 The
universe to the last man might have died； and he would not have
missed the smallest of his habits。
Homais presented himself。
〃I count on you；〃 said the doctor。 〃Are we ready？ Come along！〃
But the druggist； turning red； confessed that he was too
sensitive to assist at such an operation。
〃When one is a simple spectator；〃 he said； 〃the imagination； you
know； is impressed。 And then I have such a nervous system！〃
〃Pshaw！〃 interrupted Canivet； 〃on the contrary； you seem to me
inclined to apoplexy。 Besides； that doesn't astonish me； for you
chemist fellows are always poking about your kitchens； which must
end by spoiling your constitutions。 Now just look at me。 I get up
every day at four o'clock； I shave with cold water （and am never
cold）。 I don't wear flannels； and I never catch cold； my carcass
is good enough！ I live now in one way； now in another； like a
philosopher； taking pot…luck； that is why I am not squeamish like
you； and it is as indifferent to me to carve a Christian as the
first fowl that turns up。 Then； perhaps； you will say； habit！
habit！〃
Then； without any consideration for Hippolyte； who was sweating
with agony between his sheets； these gentlemen entered into a
conversation； in which the druggist compared the coolness of a
surgeon to that of